The present invention relates generally to surgical tools, and more particularly, to surgical tools that can be used for cauterizing and cutting during a surgical operation.
Bleeding commonly occurs during surgical procedures. Typically, the bleeding emanates from a bleeding vessel during a cutting procedure using, for example, a scalpel. The bleeding can greatly obscure surgeon's view. To control the bleeding, the vessel can be clamped with a surgical instrument to stop the flow of blood, and the vessel can be mended. The mending, however, tends to cause infection and improper healing.
More recently, electrocautery systems have been used to control bleeding from a vessel. An electrocautery system delivers an electrical current through a cable to an electrode, which is positioned at the bleeding site. A heat or energy source is used to gradually increase the temperature of the electrode, which heats the tissue in order to heat the tissue surrounding the bleeding vessel. By heating the tissue, cauterization occurs at the point of bleeding.
Known electrocautery systems are separate and distinct from the cutting tools used during surgical procedures. This means that a surgeon must constantly switch between the cutting tool and the electrocautery system during an operation. Accordingly, this increases the risk of mistakes, makes the surgery more complex, and delays the surgical procedure.
Thus, a need exists for surgical tools that allow a surgeon to perform cutting and cauterizing at an application site in which the cutting and cauterizing can be performed with the same surgical tool.